SECOND IMPRESSIONS

Second Impressions

It has been said that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Surely we would be more relaxed meeting new people if we realised that, like us, they are trying to create a good first impression! Can a bad first impression be changed into a good second impression? In my line of work I have met people who claim to have had a bad first impression of one or more of the following: Church, Christianity, and Christ. Let’s begin with Church. Boring! Sheep! Money-grabbing! Mind-controlling! Hypocritical! And a whole lot worse! Let’s consider each of these in turn.

No doubt Church is boring to those who are not interested. I feel the same way about cricket! However, my interest in cricket is sometimes piqued a little when someone take the time to explain to me what the game is all about. But Church, boring? ‘But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them’ 2 Corinthians 4:3-4.

Sheep? ‘We are His people and the sheep of His pasture’ Psalm 100:3b. And, Jesus says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” John 10:27. Church-goers are sheep! Fair enough, but those who say this are as likely to claim that they are followers of Charles Darwin or his contemporary spokesman, Richard Dawkins! Hypocritical? Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Money-grabbing? “And [Abraham] gave [Melchizedek] a tithe of all” Genesis 14:20b. And, ‘On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper’ 1 Corinthians 16:2a. And who can forget the story of the widow’s two mites? So, is the Church only after your money? Not if you’re not willing to part with any of it! Can we say this about our government? Which would you prefer, a visit from a church elder or the taxman?

Mind-controlling? We’ve already noted that it is the minds of the non-Christians ‘the god of this age has blinded’! For Christians? ‘And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…’ Romans 12:2a. Enough said!

Hypocritical? Jesus had a lot to say about religious hypocrites in His ‘judge not, that you be not judged’ passage. Some people are able to see a speck in the eye of another even with a plank in their own eye! ‘Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye’ Matthew 7:5. As Jesus said to those who wanted Him to join them in stoning the woman caught in adultery, ‘He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first’ John 8:7b. What is that saying about people who live in glass houses?

And what about Christianity? Is it a force for good or for evil? The rediscovery of the Gospel at the time of the Reformation brought with it freedom from tyrannical rulers, which in turn brought us Western democracy, scientific discovery, medical science, hospitals, city sanitation, profitable business, commerce etc. In other words the straitjacket of the Dark Ages was torn off by the liberating Word of God. How is it then that the first impression of Christianity for some is that of captivity? Have another look!

Christ? Isn’t it obvious that everyone’s first impression of Church, Christianity, and Christ is wrong? How so? Well, Jesus says, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God’ John 3:3. If none of us can see the kingdom of God until the Spirit of Christ reveals it to us, then all of us have the wrong first impression! Therefore, it’s a good second impression we need! Before I was converted I thought Church was boring, that Christianity was for losers, and that Christ was, well, I was never sure about Christ. Now? I now have a great second impression!

Christ is a king, He is the King, the King of kings! He is the King of the Kingdom we are unable to see before the Spirit gives us new birth. His Kingdom is not of this world. That’s how come we have a bad first impression of Church, Christianity, and Christ. We are of this world and the god of this world keeps us in darkness. However, the good news is that Christ rescues His people and translates them into His Kingdom of Light. As the Psalmist says, “In Your light we see light” Psalm 36:9b.

Of course all of this is so much mumbo-jumbo to those who are still stuck with a bad first impression! Therefore Church, Christianity, and Christ is all about second impressions because we cannot understand these things until and unless we are born of the Spirit, ie, born from above, or born again.

Since second impressions are more thought through than first impressions, it is my prayer that you, dear reader, have a good second impression of Christ.